The Stars Don't Fall
by chocoholic1
Summary: A story about what might have happened if Frodo didn't go across the sea right away. His journey. No slash. no M/S, he does meet a girl but that is not the main storyline. Enjoy and reveiw!
1. Default Chapter

Alternate Universe where Frodo didn't leave for the grey havens (Or not straight away anyway) and continued living with Sam's family until where this begins and Elanor is about three.  
  
PROLOGE  
  
  
The air was quiet. It was early late August and though the days were still sunny, the rough edge of the heat had been taken off leaving the grumpy hobbits to sleep peacefully at night without shedding most of their bed covers.  
Frodo however was still awake. He lay in bed not thinking about anything in particular, and yet somehow uncomfortable.  
He had moved into the bedroom he'd had as a child, because it only seemed fair that Sam and Rosie had the master bedroom. Besides, he'd always felt more comfortable here.  
  
Suddenly, bringing a welcome end to the silence, there came voices from the main chamber. Frodo turned on his side and strained to hear, undecided on whether to make his wakefulness known and join whoever it was.  
  
"Elanor, it was just a nightmare. And you don't want to wake Momma do you?"  
  
"To late, dear." Came a softer voice. Frodo imagined Rosie tiptoeing over to her husband and small daughter on the sofa. He knew that their faces would break into smiles right away.  
  
"What's wrong, Elanor?" she continued.  
  
"I had a bad dream, Momma." Elanor said, "But... I forgot it."  
  
"Well if you forgot it, how about going back to bed?" Sam said cheerfully, if a little to loud.  
  
"Because I want a story, Daddy!" Frodo smiled. Elanor was the sweetest hobbit child, but she knew how to get things she wanted. And usually it wasn't hard, because with one look she could melt even the old Gaffers heart. "Tell me about the one where you and Mr.Frodo go and destroy the ring!"  
  
At this Frodo turned away to face the wall. That wasn't a story he wanted to hear. But neither did it appear that Sam wanted to tell it, "That story's too long, little Elanor! Pick a shorter story, then we'll see."  
  
The little girls face creased in thought, and her parents had to restrain from smiling. After a pause, she said, "What about if you just tell me the part with my name?"  
  
So Sam began the tale of the elf city of Lorien, right from when the fellowship had left Moria until they set off along the river again. He described the landscape in great detail, and particularly the little golden flower his daughter was most interested in. Elanor was asleep before they'd finished at Galadriels mirror, but Sam continued with the story, and Frodo continued listening, right up until the end. Then, Frodo heard Rosie patter of to bed, and Sam carry Elanor into her room and then join his wife.   
  
Frodo continued thinking about the beauty of Lorien until he was almost asleep. Then, when he was on the edge of wakefulness, a thought occurred to him. Where was the phial, which had indeed brought light in the greatest darkness? So distressed was he by this that he considered ransacking the house to find it. Don't be foolish, he thought to himself, that would wake Sam and Rosie, and make them think you've gone even more mad. With that he fell into a sleep filled with dreams about the elves, a change from the usual nightmares. 


	2. Chapter 2 (will get a name later!)

WARNING: This chapter might seem a bit boring, but I needed to set the scene, so please go on to read the next one cos it will be MUCH better.  
  
CHAPTER TWO  
  
  
Eileeny Brandybuck woke up to the sound of her husband and his father arguing. Although this wasn't an uncommon occurrence she still buried her head in the pillows, for there are few hobbits that like to argue. She heard the door slam as her father-in-law left. Berilac Brandybuck flounced into the bedroom.   
  
"Oh good, Eileeny, you're up!" He said, though he didn't look very pleased to see her. "We're travelling to Hobbiton this afternoon, so pack two suitcases, one for me and one for you."  
  
Eileeny didn't say anything but her forehead creased in annoyance. Her husband would easily have picked up this if he'd looked at her once.  
  
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Sam woke to the smell of fresh baking bread, that would be Rosie cooking, a piercing light in his eyes because he'd left the curtains open, and a strange banging and clanging coming from the main room. He stretched and then jumped out of bed and towards the confusing noises.  
  
He entered the main chamber and could see Rosie smiling at him from the kitchen and Elanor sitting on the couch eating 1st breakfast. Then he saw that Frodo was halfway up one of the bookcases throwing things off and muttering.   
  
"Frodo! Whatever are you doing, Mr.Frodo?" He shouted, running over to his friend.   
  
Frodo didn't look away from the task but said, "Oh, morning Sam! Have you seen Galadriels Phial? I can't find it anywhere!"  
  
"Oh the star glass, no I haven't seen it." Sam said, looking worriedly at Frodo. He was frightened that he had fallen ill and that was why he needed the glass. But Sam ruled that possibility out as Frodo threw several books across the room. "Why is it you need it, Mr.Frodo?"  
  
Frodo slid back down the bookshelf and passed a hand across his eyes. "I don't know, something just reminded me of it and now I feel as if I need it."  
  
Sam was about to console his friend when he heard Elanor get up and run into her room. Then she came back and dragged whispered something in Frodo's ear.  
  
"Yes that's right!" He said, seeming surprised. Elanor took his hand and dragged him into her room.   
  
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Elanor reached under her bed and pulled out an apple crate with a crudely fashioned lid. She opened it and rummaged around inside for a second. Frodo watched. Then, her small hand was covered in a white light and she brought out the phial.  
  
She handed it to Frodo who sighed and held it to his heart. Then he looked accusingly at Elanor. "Elanor, why did you take this? You know it belongs to me."  
  
Elanor ran up to him and gave him a cuddle. Frodo softened and remembered that Elanor was just a child, and realised he had sounded very mean. "I'm sorry, Mr.Frodo!" she sniffed with her head on his shoulder, "But it was so pretty... but Momma said I wasn't to play with it 'cos it was yours... but it was so pretty."  
  
Frodo pulled away from her and laughed, "You little rascal! Soon you'll be stealing from farmer maggots fields like I did when I was a lad!" Elanor gave him a disbelieving look. "Oh yes, there isn't many hobbits in Buckland who won't have a complaint about me stealing from them or upsetting them. But don't apologise, you can play with this whenever you want. It is a pretty thing isn't it?"  
  
They got up and Frodo sat on the bed with Elanor on his knee. "Now what else is in this box of yours?"  
  
Elanor grinned; an opportunity to show off had come! "It's where I keep all my special things!" She went through the items one by one. "This is from the party tree, and this is Momma and Daddy's wedding portrait. Oh! And Mr.Peregrin gave me this..." Finding Frodo a relatively interested audience she continued until everything was spread across the bed cover.  
  
"My, what lovely things you have!" Frodo exclaimed when the box was empty, "And I'm sorry I scolded you, but can I please have the star glass back?"  
  
"Of course!" Elanor giggled and handed it back. Frodo left and went into the main chamber to talk to Sam about what she considered boring grown up things. Elanor liked Frodo, who she called Uncle Frodo in her head, though her Daddy made her say Mr.Frodo. He was odd of course, he had only 9 fingers and was still a bachelor at 53, but it didn't matter because it made him more fun. And the stories of him and Daddy were full of excitement and adventure.  
  
However, when she had told the other hobbit children the stories they had laughed and said, "Don't be silly, Elanor, your Daddy and mad Mr.baggins aren't adventurers! The only hobbits that come close to heroes are Mr.Took and Mr.Brandybuck!"   
  
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Later that day, Sam cautiously tapped on the door to the study for the fifth time.   
"Mr. Frodo?" he called cheerfully, "Can I come in, sir?"  
Only silence came form behind the thin oak door, so Sam let himself in anyway.  
  
Frodo was sat as the desk, which was at a side angle to the door. Sam could see that he had both the star glass and the jewel Lady Arwen had given him in his hands.   
Sam went and sat beside him and watched as he twirled them round in his fingers and made the light from the phial shine on the white jewel, a spectacular lights effect being performed; like a miniature of the Gandalf's firework displays but with white light.   
  
"Would you like to come to the market fair with us today, Mr. Frodo?" he said, and Frodo looked up startled, as though he hadn't realised his friend was there, which he hadn't.   
"Oh hello, Sam!" he said, smiling faintly, "What was that? Oh, market fair. Yes, yes I suppose so."  
When Frodo made no effort to move Sam said, "Erm, it starts in half an hour, Frodo."   
Frodo blinked, hard, "Half an hour, of course it does." He got up stiffly and smiled at Sam, whose face was covered with a worried frown, "We'd best start walking then." 


	3. Chapter 3 (any chapter name suggestions ...

(Whoops, forgot a DISCLAIMER. I don't own any characters from Tolkien. :))  
  
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It was a pleasant walk to the (unoriginally named) Market Square in the centre of Hobbiton, you just had to go through the spare ground behind Bag Row, which in this season was bursting with dandelions, daisies and heather and the odd tulip or even sun flower dotted everywhere. Then you went through the centre of Hobbiton, where it isn't possible to go two paces without someone cheerfully enquiring about you, your family and usually your neighbours too.   
  
When they arrived at the market fair - a favourite Shire tradition: it was despite all the excuses of the hobbits, just a giant food festival that took place in summer; and hobbits from miles around would come and bring such delicacies as you cannot imagine and it lasted as long as the food lasted, which generally wasn't very long so the greedier hobbits would be up at the crack of dawn to get the best eats - Rosie and Elanor went of to talk to a friend of a friend and Sam was distracted (momentarily) from his master by a grand set of kitchenware.  
  
Frodo walked dazedly through the crowd, peering over people shoulders to see if he could find Merry or Pippin. They weren't hard to find, he discovered, as they were standing in the centre of the crowd atop a small stage made from upturned fruit boxes, telling stories in loud, jovial voices. Frodo smiled, and leaned against a stall to watch them.   
  
This time he noticed when Sam came and stood at his side.   
"They do amaze me, y'know Sam?" He said softly.  
  
"Yes, 'amazing' is one way of putting it." Sam said, smiling grimly. "Noone'll ever say Mr. Merry and Master Took are 'shrinking violets', that's for sure."   
  
Frodo chuckled but didn't reply. A silence fell between them that was pleasant and yet thoughtful, but after a while Sam left to inspect a crate of particularly tempting peaches.  
  
Frodo was still watching the crowd, his eyes fixed on the moving throng of hobbits, like bees in a hive.   
  
"EXCUSE ME MASTER BAGGINS!" Berilac Brandybuck suddenly appeared in front off him, blocking his view.   
  
"Cousin!" cried Frodo, cheerfully; "I haven't seen you in ages!"  
  
"Yes, and I'm all the better for it, I'd say! Just leave off leaning on my stall, would you?" Berilac shouted above the din.  
  
Frodo obediently stepped away, puzzled and rather annoyed. But still he turned to the Hobbit lass beside him and said, "And this must be Lady Daffodil, I presume!"  
  
"No!" Berilac cried shapely, flinching with a mixture of hurt and anger, "This is Eileeny."   
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought..."   
  
"At least I have a wife!" Berilac yelled, as people around started to turn and stare, "Not like you, what have you got? Nice big house that noone'll come near 'cos we all know you're as odd a-and mad as a fish in the sky!"   
  
Eileeny's face was burning as red as a new apple by now, and Frodo's mouth was going up and down as he tried to think of something to say.  
Thankfully, Berilac didn't get a chance to go on because a voice came from behind them, "NOW, NOW MR.BERILAC!" Sam shouted, pushing people aside, "If you'll remember rightly, me and Rosie-lass live at Bag End with Frodo, so get you're facts straight before you open that big mouth of yours!"  
  
Berilac was actually quite intimidated by Sam (though he would never admit it), what with him being the mayor and all, so he backed off and quickly everyone was back to what they were doing and Sam was left with Frodo, who still looked quite like he'd just had his breath taken away.   
  
"Oh Sam!" He said after a second, "Isn't it annoying when you think of something clever to say after whoever you wish to say it to has gone!"  
  
*  
  
As Eileeny followed her husband - intent on giving him a good nagging for embarrassing her - she gave a quick look back through the crowd at where Frodo and Sam were. She shook her head. Even though she didn't agree with Berilac's quick temper, she had to admit; Frodo Baggins was odd and no mistake.  
  
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Please review! Lotsa luv, chocoholic 


	4. Chapter 3 Lots of Sam in this Chap!

Sam was sitting on the window seat of the main bedroom in Bag End trying to remember what his Gaffer had called it when he sat for ages and thought.   
  
Rosie had gone down to Farmer Cottons, because Mrs. Cotton had recently started getting awful chesty coughs and Rosie, being the kind hobbit she was, had wanted to look after her. It was a good thing in a way to Sam's mind, because Sam spent so much time worrying about Frodo maybe it was better Rosie worried about someone too, it meant she'd understand. Not that Sam would wish illness on his in-laws, oh no.   
  
Pondering! That was it! Sam could clearly remember many occasions when the Gaffer had been making tea, or working in the garden, or just sitting in his old chair and one of his brothers had said, "What'cha doin' Da?" And he'd said, "Just pondering, my boy, just pondering."  
Mr.Frodo does an awful lot of pondering, thought Sam.   
  
His eyes slid back to the door of the small study where Frodo would still be at his desk and sighed. It was a constant worry for him that his master was drifting more and more out of everything to do with the Shire. Like a blur on a perfect horizon.   
It hadn't been so bad before Bilbo had sailed west, but now Frodo seemed to have given up all hope and Sam couldn't think of anything that could help him; save following him. He sighed. Was that what would happen, then? He thought, Mr.Frodo would either leave him across the sea or leave him by closing himself in this shell he was building around himself.  
  
But no, I can't think that! Thought Sam, of course Frodo is feeling a bit funny, after all he's been through, but he'll heal if you make him believe he will!   
Then Sam thought of Rosie standing by the new party tree and saying, with a dead serious look on her face, "What Frodo needs Sam dear, is a lass." Sam laughed again like he had then. If only it was that simple!   
  
Sam smiled when he thought of the child Rosie had inside her. Of course, she hadn't told him yet, but Sam could tell by the way she glided around him that she was pregnant again. Sam laughed again, louder, when he thought of having to pretend to be shocked when she apprehensively told him: like last time with Elanor.   
  
It was that moment she swooned through the front door gracefully and landed a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "What you laughing at Sam, you fool? Anyone would think you'd discovered buried treasure from the look on your face!"   
At that Sam just laughed again and held out his arms to her, and they fell asleep like that on the window seat.   
  
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Please read and review, more Frodo next time! * Grins * Me not own Tolkien characters, ect. 


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